Calls for mutual respect and a new model of cooperation dominated the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on Tuesday, as Kenya and France sought to redefine relations between Africa and Europe at a time of shifting global alliances.
The two-day summit, co-hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, brought together African leaders, business executives and development partners to discuss investment, innovation and reform of the global financial and security order. It was the first major France-Africa summit held in an English-speaking African country, a symbolic move as Paris works to rebuild influence beyond its traditional Francophone sphere.
Ruto said Africa was no longer seeking dependency, but partnerships based on equality and respect. He renewed his call for reform of the United Nations Security Council, describing it as “unconscionable” that a continent of nearly 1.5 billion people and 54 sovereign states still has no permanent seat on the council. UN Secretary-General António Guterres also backed the call, saying Africa lacked the voice and decision-making power it deserved in global institutions.
Macron used the summit to outline what he called a partnership built around peace, prosperity and “strategic autonomy” for both Africa and Europe. He said such cooperation could help rebuild a weakened multilateral order and offer a shared future at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.
France announced that the summit had mobilised €23 billion, about $27 billion, in investments for Africa. Macron said €14 billion would come from French public and private entities, while €9 billion would come from African investors. The funds are expected to support sectors including energy transition, artificial intelligence, agriculture, digital technology, health and industrialisation.
The summit comes as France’s influence in parts of West Africa has sharply declined. Military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have expelled French troops and turned increasingly toward Russia for security support. Analysts say the Nairobi meeting reflects Paris’s attempt to pivot toward broader African partnerships based more on investment and innovation than military presence.
For Kenya, the summit strengthens Nairobi’s position as a diplomatic and economic hub. For France, it is a chance to show that its relationship with Africa can move beyond the legacy of Françafrique and toward a more balanced partnership. Whether African leaders view the shift as genuine will depend on how quickly the promised investments translate into jobs, infrastructure and lasting local value.
